According to abbreviationfinder, Zanziba is the country’s capital part of Zanzibar, on the west coast of the island of Unguja Iceland (formerly Zanzibar), 501 500 residents.
Seat of the President of Zanzibar; Fish Economics and Language Research Institute, Museum; Clove production, leather shoe production, silver and ivory work, cigarette factory; Fishing; Main port of the island of Zanzibar, international airport. – The »Zanzibar University«, founded in 1998, is located in Tunguu, about 20 km east of Zanzibar.
Cityscape
The oriental old town (“stone city”) with its stone houses adorned with richly carved front doors and numerous mosques has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The former sultan’s palace (19th century, with the “House of Miracles”) is now the seat of government. Near the southern tip of the island, the mosque (according to the Kufic inscription), built by Persians in 1107, has been preserved.
History
Zanzibar, founded in the 16th century as a Portuguese base, became a seat of the Sultan of Oman in 1828. In the 19th century it was the main hub for East African trade (especially ivory and slaves).
Politics and law
Tanzania is a union between mainland Tanganyika and the part of Zanzibar. The presidential republic is led by an elected union president. This appoints the government. John Magufuli ( * 1959 ) has been President of the Union since 2015. The population also elects the parliament, in which some seats are reserved for certain groups such as young people or women. Parliament passes laws and taxes. Zanzibar has an autonomous status that is enshrined in the constitution. So the residents of this part of the country choose their own parliament and their own president. But above this stands the Union President.
The relationship between the central government and Zanzibar is tense: Zanzibar disagrees with many decisions and demands more independence. For a long time after the founding of the state in 1964, only one party was allowed, namely the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Today there are several parties, but the influence of the CCM on politics, authorities and the media is still great.
In Tanzania, schooling is compulsory from 7 to 14 years of age. The seven-year primary school is followed by a two-tier secondary level. Although primary school is free, some families cannot afford to have their children attend school. Because school uniforms, textbooks, exercise books and pens are very expensive. Teaching is in Swahili and English. More than three quarters of adults aged 15 and over can read and write. This is a relatively large proportion compared to other developing countries.
The constitution guarantees freedom of the press, but critical reporting in the media is repeatedly hindered by the state leadership. There are a large number of newspapers, television and radio stations. Private media are more popular than state media.
Economy
Tanzania’s economy has been growing steadily since 2000 and is also showing great dynamism compared to its neighboring countries. However, this positive development is not enough to eradicate poverty and hunger in the country. Tanzania is still one of the poorest countries in the world and is therefore dependent on help from abroad. The government is making great efforts to alleviate the plight of the population. For example, it tries to support agriculture so that every resident has enough food. She is also trying to create more jobs, especially for young people and women, in order to enable more people to earn an income. However, the state’s income is not enough to eradicate poverty.
Most of the people in Tanzania make a living from agriculture. They grow the most important staple foods cassava, corn, millet, rice and bananas on small areas, usually without the help of machines. They use the harvest yield for their own supply. In addition to the small-scale family businesses, there are also large plantations where, for example, tea, coffee, cotton, tobacco and cloves are grown. These products are sold to other countries, so they are intended for export. Gold and precious stones are also exported.
Tourism also generates income. Every year around 1.3 million guests come to the country, who of course also spend money here on accommodation, food and other things. You will mainly visit the national parks and animal reserves for animal observation, undertake mountain tours on Kilimanjaro and visit the UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the old town of Zanzibar City. The beaches and coral reefs on the Indian Ocean are also tourist attractions.
